We are the
South West London Recruitment Hub
We are your dedicated recruitment partner, bringing together the expertise of recruitment teams across Croydon Health Services, Epsom & St Helier, Kingston and Richmond, and St George’s Hospitals. This joined-up approach creates a more consistent, efficient and people-centric recruitment experience across South West London. At every stage of the process, we focus on making hiring easier for you and smoother for candidates. Our team offers clear, expert guidance from advert to onboarding. Our goal is simple: to help you attract, select, and welcome the right people so you can focus on delivering great care.
How to use this toolkit:
Recruitment can feel complicated - from vacancy approvals to pre-employment checks, there’s a lot to navigate. This toolkit is designed to guide you through the process step by step, so you can fill your vacancy efficiently and effectively. Think of this as a practical set of prompts, tips, and checklists to help you run a smooth, fair, and engaging recruitment process.
Click here for more information
If you need this document in an alternative format, or require any adjustments to support your accessibility needs, please contact: katherine.bevan6@nhs.net
Table of contents
Please click on the arrows to navigate to your chosen section.
Making an offer & pre-employment checks
Inclusive recruitment in practice
Final offer, start date & induction
Vacancy approval
AI in recruitmemt
Advertising your job
Shortlisting candidates
Frequently asked questions
Get in touch
The interview process
Inclusive recruitment in practice
An inclusive recruitment process actively recognises diversity and values the wide range of qualities, experiences and perspectives that candidates bring to the organisation. It is not about recruiting individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to meet targets. Rather, it is about ensuring a fair and equitable process where all applicants have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their suitability for the role.
Understanding bias in recruitment
Recruitment Inclusion Specialist (RIS)
Practical structures that support inclusive recruitment
Diverse panel representation
Inclusive recruitment supports:
- Compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty
- Fair and transparent decision making
- Improved workforce representation
- Reduced risk of challenge or grievance
- Stronger organisational performance through diversity of thought
Inclusive recruitment introduces safeguards to support objective and appropriate decision making.
Step 1
How do I recruit to a vacancy?
The recruitment process:
Vacancy control
Before a role can be advertised, your vacancy needs to be approved through your Trust’s vacancy-control process.
Job advertised
Vacancy request
Shortlisting and interview
Enter the vacancy request on Trac
01
How to rasie a vacancy request on Trac
Offer made
Vacancy approval
Click here
Employments checks
Check your Trust’s vacancy-control process
02
Welcoming new starter
Your Trust vacnacy control team will be best suited to share more details about this process with you.
Step 2
Advertising your vacancy
Now that your role’s been approved, it’s time to get it in front of the right people. Before you start drafting the advert, there are a few simple steps to ensure everything’s accurate, inclusive, and ready to go live.
03
01
02
Advertising your role
Prepare the JD and PS
Write the job advert
Helpful pointers on how to write a:
Adverts must not discriminate against the 9 protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.
Job Advert
What to avoid saying in a job advert
For additional support with writing your job advert, please contact our Communications and Marketing Manager.
E: katherine.bevan6@nhs.net
Step 3
Shortlisting candidates
How to shortlist on Trac
What happens once your advert closes:
Once your advert closes, your Recruitment Advisor will move your vacancy to 'Shortlisting' on Trac. You will be notified by email to start reviewing applications, using the scoring system you set up at the start of the process.
You must complete shortlisting within three days of the advert closing.
How to score each candidate
What is the Guranteed Interview Scheme?
Longlisting vs. shortlisting
If no suitable candidate is found
Step 4
Interviewing candidates
Hiring manager responsibilities:
01
Set your interview date
02
Add the details to Trac
Interviews are your chance to meet the people behind the applications and understand what they could bring to your team. Your role is to make the process clear, fair, and welcoming so every candidate can perform their best.
03
Organise your panel
Interview assessments
04
Run the interview
Interview panels
05
Upload your notes
Interview FAQs
Guidance on setting up interviews
Click here
Step 5
Making an offer
You’re nearly at the finish line. Once interviews are complete, it’s important to wrap things up quickly and fairly, so candidates feel informed, and excited about joining your team. A structured approach here also helps us meet NHS employment standards and avoid delays.
Hiring manager responsibilities:
Let candidates know the outcome
01
Reflecting the interview outcome on Trac
02
Issue conditional offer letter
Move your successful candidate to offer
04
03
Step 6
Pre-employment checks are simply our way of making sure every new starter meets the legal standards, qualifications, and safeguarding requirements needed for their role. In the NHS, we follow six national employment check standards — these outline the checks we must complete before anyone can join our teams.
Pre-employment checks
01
02
Right to work
Identity
Professional registration and qualifications
03
04
References
05
06
Occupational health
DBS
Withdrawing an offer
References guidance
Employment standards and regulation
Step 7
Unconditional offer, start date & induction
What the SWL Recruitment Hub will do:
What you’ll need to do as the hiring manager:
Confirm the start date: Once an unconditional offer letter has been sent, you’ll need to agree a start date, and let your Recruitment Advisor know, so that we can update Trac and trigger the next steps.
We’ll take care of the essentials behind the scenes:
- Confirm the start date in Trac, once you’ve agreed it with the candidate.
- Issue the contract of employment.
- Add the new starter to ESR/payroll.
- Book the candidate on to the appropriate induction.
Plan their first day: Make sure your new colleague knows:
- Where to go
- Who to ask for
- What time to arrive
- Queries regarding salary sacrifice should be referred to your HR team.
In line with policy:
You must check original ID documents in person on Day 1.
- You will be sent a copy of the new starters contract, please keep this as part of their local personnel file.
This confirms that the person starting is the same person interviewed and hired.
AI in recruitment
AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, and Gemini are creating new ways for people to put their best foot forward when applying for roles. As these tools become part of everyday working life, candidates are increasingly using them in applications and interviews. For hiring managers, the key is understanding what this means for recruitment and making sure our processes stay rigorous, fair, and human.
Our stance on AI in the recruitment process
We know candidates may choose to use AI tools when applying for roles, and we can’t (and shouldn’t) completely stop that. Instead, our focus is on ensuring the recruitment process remains fair, transparent, and focused on genuine skills and experience.
View our AI Toolkit for Hiring Managers
Frequently asked questions
Please see below answers to some common queries we receive from hiring managers, and what you can do to resolve them.
Click here to read our FAQs
If you have a more specific question, please reach out.
St George's Univerisity Hospitals
Click on the plus icon below, to view the appropriate contact details for your Trust.
Croydon Health Services
Recruitment Hub Senior Leadership Team
Epsom and St Helier
Kingston and Richmond
International team
Key contacts
Get in touch
If you have any thoughts, comments or feedback on this toolkit, we’d love to hear from you.
Please share your feedback at: katherine.bevan6@nhs.net
Accessibility statement:
Follow us on socials
Contact us
Email: krft.askrecruitment@nhs.net
Tel: 0208 296 4045
If you need this document in an alternative format, or require any adjustments to support your accessibility needs, please contact: katherine.bevan6@nhs.net
Version: 1.0 Date Created: 27/11/25
Set your interview date
- Confirm where the interview will take place and your interview dates(s).
- Aim to give candidates up to 5 working days notice — this helps attendance and supports fairness.
- If you need to arrange multiple dates, keep the format consistent so every candidate has the same experience.
Tip: Add the date to the advert if you can — it boosts attendance and helps candidates plan.
Interview panels guidance
Panel composition:
- Interviews must have at least two panel members, ideally including the line manager.
- For interviews over multiple days, the same panel members should participate.
Diversity requirements:
- For Band 7+, a Recruitment and Inclusion Speciliast (RiS) panel member must attend.
If you require a RiS, please get in touch.
Panel qualifications:
Panel members must be suitably qualified to assess candidates’ skills, knowledge, and suitability. Members should have up-to-date recruitment and selection knowledge (training is available if needed).Panel members must be of a higher band than the role being interviewed, except when including the outgoing post-holder. For nursing posts, at least one panel member must be a registered nurse of a higher band.
Conditional offer letters
What we do
Once you have moved the vacancy to offer, the SWL Recruitment Hub will usually send the conditional offer letter within two working days.
What candidates need to know
Unconditional offers depend on all pre-employment checks being completed. Please advise candidates not to resign from their current role until they receive an unconditional offer.
Occupational health checks
Occupational Health checks help us understand whether a candidate is fit and safe to carry out the role they’ve been offered. These checks also help prevent work-related illness, injuries, and the spread of infection across our services.
Why this matters:
Health assessments play a key role in:
- Identifying early on if a candidate has a health condition or disability that may need adjustments.
- Making sure the workplace is set up so they can work safely and comfortably.
- Identifying where additional checks may be required — for example, identifying exposure-prone procedures (EPPs).
How it works
1. The candidate will be sent a link to complete a health questionaire. 2. The candidate completes it online and provides any relevant information.
3. If needed, Occupational Health may:
o Invite the candidate to an assessment
o Request evidence of immunisations
o Discuss any adjustments or restrictions with yourself and the candidate.
Check your Trust’s vacancy-control process
Each Trust has its own approval process. Your vacancy control team can confirm what documents or sign-offs you’ll need.
Contact details:
Add the details to Trac
01
Once you move your vacancy to the Interview stage, you’ll be prompted to enter: Please note: If you are holding a virtual interview, you will need to create the virtual interview link yourself. Complete all required fields and click Confirm.The SWL Recruitment Hub will then send candidates an email inviting them to book their preferred slot.
02
Professional registration and qualifications
Before any registered healthcare professional starts with us, we must check their registration with the appropriate regulatory body (such as the NMC, HCPC, or GPhC).
This protects patients, colleagues, and the Trust.
Here's what the check confirms:
- Their registration is clear — with no restrictions that would prevent them from doing the job.
- Ongoing fitness-to-practice investigations we need to be aware of.
- Alerts about them on the Healthcare Professional Alert Notice (HPAN) system.
There are no:
The Recruitment Hub does not validate certificates.
How to write a person specification
AND NOT DISCRIMINATE - E.G. NUMBER OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
Do's and don'ts
Writing your job advert
Speak directly to the candidate (“you will…”)
Use plain English — avoid jargon and acronyms
Your job advert is your shop window — it should be clear, inviting, and candidate-focused.
Highlight benefits (e.g., development opportunities, flexible working, team culture, why work for your service)
Key elements to include:
Include interview date if possible. This improves attendance
Job title and grade
Where they will be working
Copy and paste the job description
Main responsibilities (impact of the role, not just tasks)
Use vague phrases like “dynamic environment” without context
Your USP - why should someone join your service
Contact details for informal questions
Overload with long paragraphs — keep it short and easy to read
Closing and interview dates
Try:
“In this role, you’ll develop your leadership skills while overseeing a team of junior staff.”
Instead of:
“In this role, you’ll manage a team.”
Think about why a candidate should choose your role over others.
Interview assessments – What managers need to know
Common assessment options
Alongside a structured interview, you may choose to include additional activities to test skills that can’t easily be assessed through questions alone.
Presentations
- To assess communication, analysis and confidence.
Why use assessments?
Assessments help you understand a candidate’s real-world ability to perform key parts of the role.
Group exercises
- To observe teamwork, leadership and problem-solving.
They should always:
- Link directly to the person specification
- Be relevant, fair, and free from bias
- Measure skills that an interview cannot reliably assess
Written scenarios or case studies
- Useful for roles requiring decision-making or written communication.
Important principles
- Choose methods that directly align with the role’s duties and competencies.
- Let candidates know in advance what assessments they will complete — this is included in the interview invitation.
- Ensure all tools and activities are consistent for every candidate.
- Anything you use must be able to be justified if challenged.
Maths and english tests
- To assess core skills where required.
Practical skills tests
- Ideal for assessing hands-on skills such as IT proficiency, telephone handling or manual tasks.
Support from the Recruitment Team
Managers are welcome to design their own assessments, and the Recruitment Team is available to offer guidance and share best-practice advice.
The Guaranteed Interview Scheme
If a candidate:- Has declared a disability
- Is a member of the armed forces
- Has declared themselves as a care leaver
…and they meet all essential criteria, they must be invited to interview, regardless of their total score. Any reasonable adjustments must be made for them to attend.
Your job advert is your shop window — it should be clear, inviting, and candidate-focused.
Writing your job advert
Key elements to include:
Do's and don'ts
Speak directly to the candidate (“you will…”)
Use plain English — avoid jargon and acronyms
Highlight benefits (e.g., development, flexible working, team culture)
Include interview date if possible. This improves attendance
Copy and paste the job description
Use vague phrases like “dynamic environment” without context
Overload with long paragraphs — keep it short and scannable
Job title and grade
Main responsibilities (impact of the role, not just tasks)
Team or ward profile (insight into people and culture)
Contact details for informal questions
Closing and interview dates
Think about why a candidate should choose your role over others.
Instead of:
“In this role, you’ll manage a team.”
Try:
“In this role, you’ll develop your leadership skills while overseeing a team of junior staff.”
Recruitment Inclusion Specialist (RIS)
A Recruitment Inclusion Specialist is a designated individual trained to provide advice and constructive challenge during recruitment processes.
For Band 7 and above interviews, the presence of a Recruitment Inclusion Specialist is required.
The role of the Recruitment Inclusion Specialist is to:
- Support fair and consistent decision making
- Provide appropriate challenge where bias may be influencing discussion
- Ensure scoring is aligned to evidence and agreed criteria
- Support hiring managers who may not be EDI specialists
- Promote a positive and inclusive candidate experience
The Recruitment Inclusion Specialist is advisory and does not replace the decision making authority of the panel. Where concerns are raised, these should be documented and considered as part of the governance process.
Who to contact
Kingston and Richmond
Diverse panel representation
Where possible, interview panels should reflect a range of backgrounds, genders, experiences and perspectives. Diverse representation can support more balanced discussion and reduce the risk of groupthink.
All panel members remain accountable for fair and consistent assessment.
Prepare the job description and person specification
Job description: Review to ensure it is up to date, relevant, and job-matched according to the role’s terms and conditions.
Person specification: Clearly separate essential and desirable criteria to make shortlisting fair and consistent.
A clear, up-to-date job description and person specification set expectations for candidates and make shortlisting smoother.
Who to contact
St George's Hospital
Prepare the job description and person specification
Job description: Review to ensure it is up to date, relevant, and job-matched.
Person specification: Clearly separate essential and desirable criteria to make shortlisting fair and consistent.
A clear, up-to-date job description and person specification sets expectations for candidates, and makes shortlisting smoother.
Who to contact
Croydon Health Services
How to write a job advert
You may see candidates sitting in two areas:
Where you score and make decisions.
Shortlisting
VS
Longlisting
Candidates automatically land here while the advert is live.
Understanding bias in recruitment
Bias is a natural cognitive shortcut. In recruitment, unexamined bias can influence how we interpret information, assess capability, and make decisions.
Everyone holds assumptions shaped by personal experience, culture and social context. In recruitment settings, unconscious bias can lead to inconsistent or unfair outcomes if not recognised and managed.
Bias may show up as:
- Favouring candidates who are similar to us, known as affinity bias
- Making assumptions based on name, accent, age, gender or disability
- Overemphasising culture fit in ways that disadvantage difference
- Interpreting identical behaviours differently depending on who displays them
The aim of inclusive recruitment is not to eliminate bias, but to recognise its potential impact and put structures in place to reduce its influence on decision making.
Moveing your successful candidate to offer
Before clicking “Confirm” in Trac, double-check:
- Contract type
- Weekly hours
- Salary and banding
- Interview paperwork attached
- Any part-time / flexible working discussions
- Use Trac notes to advise the recruitment team of any additional information.
If your offer is above the authorised WTE, you will be required to seek approval via your vacancy control process. Once everything looks right, move the vacancy to Offer — this triggers the Recruitment Hub to send the conditional offer letter.
Right to Work
Checking that someone is legally allowed to work in the UK
A Right to Work (RTW) check confirms whether a candidate has the legal permission to work in the UK. It’s a legal requirement, and no one can start in post until this check is fully complete.
How the check is done:
- We run RTW checks using Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT).
- Candidates upload their documents through TrustID, or attend a face-to-face appointment if digital verification isn’t possible.
Share codes (for non-British / non-Irish citizens)
If a candidate isn’t a British or Irish citizen, they must generate a share code from the Home Office website.
- It’s the candidate’s responsibility to generate the share code.
- They’ll be prompted to enter it into the TrustID portal using the link sent by the Recruitment Hub.
- The Recruitment Hub must validate the share code.
If a candidate doesn’t currently have the right to work:
- Some candidates may be eligible for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), if you think this is the case, plesae contact our International Recruitment team.
- E: krft.overseasrecruitment@nhs.net
Score each candidate
In Trac, click on 'Online shortlisting' and score each candidate using the criteria points you set up earlier.
- Score only against the criteria in your person specification
- Take notes, saving them in Trac, keeping them factual and evidence-based
- Don’t introduce new criteria or change the weighting mid-way through shortlisting
You’ll need to agree a cut-off score. The candidates with the highest overall scores, can then be invited to interview.
Upload your interview notes
After the interviews:- Upload all candidate interview notes to Trac
- Record scores and outcomes clearly
- Make sure decisions are evidence-based and linked to your scoring framework
This keeps the process transparent, protects you and your candidates, and ensures we can move quickly to the offer stage.
Please note: A contract can only be issued once interview notes have been completed and uploaded to Trac.
Your job advert is your shop window — it should be clear, inviting, and candidate-focused.
Step 3
Writing your job advert
Key elements to include:
Do's and don'ts
Speak directly to the candidate (“you will…”)
Use plain English — avoid jargon and acronyms
Highlight benefits (e.g., development, flexible working, team culture)
Include interview date if possible. This improves attendance
Copy and paste the job description
Use vague phrases like “dynamic environment” without context
Overload with long paragraphs — keep it short and scannable
Job title and grade
Main responsibilities (impact of the role, not just tasks)
Team or ward profile (insight into people and culture)
Contact details for informal questions
Closing and interview dates
Think about why a candidate should choose your role over others.
Instead of:
“In this role, you’ll manage a team.”
Try:
“In this role, you’ll develop your leadership skills while overseeing a team of junior staff.”
What to include in a job Advert to promote inclusion
What not to include in a job advert
Skills‑based requirements
Age related language
Avoid anything that implies a preferred age or life stage. Examples to avoid: “young and energetic,” “recent graduate,” “mature person,” “digital native.”
Describe the skills, knowledge, and behaviours needed — not assumptions about background. Examples: “Able to manage multiple priorities,” “Experience using CRM systems,” “Strong written communication.”
VS
Overly narrow experience requirements:
Use capability‑focused criteria rather than time‑based requirements
Avoid criteria that indirectly exclude groups without a valid business reason. Examples to avoid: “must have UK experience,” “must have 10+ years’ experience”.
For example: “Demonstrated ability to deliver X effectively (often developed over several years or through equivalent experience).”
Personality stereotypes:
Use plain, accessible wording
so that the advert is easy to understand for people from different backgrounds and reading levels. Avoid jargon, acronyms, and overly corporate language.
Avoid traits that imply a preference for a certain demographic. Examples to avoid: “youthful energy,” “digital native,” “fit and active,” “recent graduate.”
Criminal record (DBS) checks
A DBS check provides information about a person’s criminal record history.
What you need to know:
- Candidates must complete their ID check first before a DBS can be processed.
- Overseas candidates will also need a local police check from the country they’ve lived in.
- Some candidates may be on the DBS Update Service, which allows quick online status checks without needing a new certificate.
Please note: Your Recruitment Advisor may contact you to dicuss the necessary level of DBS check.
If there are no candidates that meet the essential critera for the role...
Contact the SWL Recruitment Hub and we’ll explore next steps together, such as:- Re-advertising
- Amending the job description
- Bespoke or targeted recruitment support
If a vacancy has been re-advertised more than twice, it is considered hard-to-fill.
Please contact Katherine, our Communications and Marketing Manager to discuss how we can support you in successfully filling the role.
E: katherine.bevan6@nhs.net
Informing candidates of the interview outcome
Be clear about the timeline
Let all candidates know when to expect a decision - especially if you expect there to be any sort of delay.
Make the calls
Contact both successful and unsuccessful candidates by telephone to advise them of the outcome and offer to provide any constructive feedback.
Update Trac
Please update Trac with interview outcomes immediatley. This allows us to move quickly with offers and candidate communication.
Who to contact
International recruitment team
Identity checks
Verifying ID is the most important of all the employment checks.
The identity check starts as soon as a conditional offer is made.
- We use TrustID digital verification software to authenticate original documents.
- If digital verification isn’t possible, we’ll complete the check face-to-face instead.
Candidates will need to provide:
Please note: DBS checks (if required) can only begin once identity is fully verified.
References
- References will be requested as per Trust policy for external staff.
- Appointing managers must approve references in Trac within 48 hours. You will receive a notification via email once a reference has returned.
- If you would like more clarity on the reference received, click on 'Request clarification', to notify a member of our recruitment team.
Please note: It is standard HR practice to provide factual references, which may only confirm employment dates.
Run the interview
During the interview:- Welcome each candidate warmly — interviews can be nerve-wracking.
- Take clear, detailed notes throughout.
- Score each candidate consistently using the same scoring system for every question.
- Stick closely to your questions to make sure everyone has an equal opportunity to shine.
Practical structures that support inclusive recruitment
Inclusive recruitment is supported by clear processes and accountability. Structure protects fairness.
This includes:
- Clear and role relevant criteria agreed in advance
- Structured interviews based on essential competencies and job requirements
- Consistent scoring against agreed criteria
- Evidence based decision making, with documented rationale
- Proactively inviting candidates to request reasonable adjustments
- Ensuring panel members understand their responsibilities under equality legislation
Panels should avoid informal decision making or reliance on subjective impressions. Decisions must be based on demonstrable evidence against the person specification.
Creating a vacancy
To begin, you must enter the vacancy request on Trac, with the recruitment team assisting where necessary. The minimal information below needs to be entered to request authorisation:
You'll find guidance on:
You'll find guidance on:
Vacancy approvals → how to get your vacancy ready for advertising
Advertising a job → writing effective adverts that attract the right candidates
Shortlisting → reviewing applications fairly and efficiently
Interviews → running structured, consistent interviews
Making an offer → communicating with candidates and updating the Trac system
Employment checks → NHS pre-employment standards
Start date & induction → ensuring your new starter is onboarded successfully
AI in recruitment → What to do if you suspect a candidate has used AI
Organise your panel
A well appointed panel promotes fairness- You’ll need at least two interviewers to reduce bias and ensure consistency.
- Include assessments or practical tasks if they help you measure the skills that matter most.
- Prepare your interview questions and scoring criteria in advance, using model answers. These act as a baseline measure for what 'good' looks like.
Who to contact
Epsom and St Helier
Reflecting the interview outcome on Trac
Ensure you reflect the outcome of the interview on Trac.
The KPI for managers to upload the interview outcome to Trac is two days.
- Unsuccessful candidates should be marked as 'Rejected'
- Candidates who did not attend should be marked as 'Did not attend'
- Candidates you would like to keep in reserve should be moved to 'Move to Offer: Reserve'
- Successful candidate should be moved to 'Offer Pending'
After completing the above, 'Move the vacancy to offer.'
For futher guidance, click here
Advertising your role
Once your role is approved, it’s time to share it with potential candidates.
- Advertising: All external vacancies are posted for two weeks.
- Confirmation: When your advert goes live, you’ll receive an email confirming the advertising and closing dates.
- Tracking applications: As the hiring manager, you can review applications at any time through Trac.
Advertising checklist:
Before your advert goes live, make sure:
Job title, band, location, team, and contact details are included Plan ahead for your vacancy closing and ensure you’re available to complete shortlisting immediately after the two‑week advertising period ends Language is clear, engaging, and candidate‑focused The opening line captures attention Interview date is listed (if available) The advert and job spedification are free from any potential bias
Hard‑to‑fill vacancies
If a role does not attract sufficient candidates after being advertised twice, it will be classed as hard‑to‑fill. Please inform us, as we can advise on targeted strategies and arrange bespoke advertising to reach the right audience.
Withdrawing an Offer
An offer of employment can be withdrawn at any stage of the pre-employment checks if there is a valid concern.
Common reasons include:
- Missing or invalid ID or right-to-work documents.
- Unsatisfactory DBS disclosure.
- Concerning references (e.g., safeguarding issues or ongoing/recent disciplinary matters).
- Sickness absence levels that breach your Trusts policy.
- Inability to verify employment history.
- Concerns about honesty or conflicting information between the application, interview, or checks.
- The applicant becomes unresponsive during the process.
Process: The recruiting manager must call the applicant to explain the withdrawal. The recruitment team will then issue a written withdrawal letter confirming the reason.
Interview FAQs
View more FAQs
Who can move the vacancy to interview on Trac?
- Only the individual listed as the Lead Shortlister can move the vacancy to interview (ie. set up the interviews on the system.)
- Please contact the Recruitment Hub for any amendments.
What is an interview pack and where can I locate this?
- Trac will notify the panel by email when the interview pack is ready to download, and it can be accessed by logging in to Trac. The pack will be available 24 hours before the interviews are scheduled to take place.
- An interview pack consists of the following:
- Interview schedule (ie., the times candidates have booked on to)
- Shortlisting criteria
- Candidate information such as contact details, personal details and their full application.
- Interview scoring sheet and relevant attachments such as employer's local instructions.
What do I need to consider when interviewing candidates with a disability/ or require adjustments?
- It is important that you remember the following when interviewing a candidate with disabilities:
- Questions relating to a candidate’s disability or personal circumstances should not be asked.
- Candidates who have disclosed a disability should be provided with the right conditions, where possible, to undertake the interview and any tests, with reasonable adjustments (e.g. allowing extra time) if required.
A comprehensive record, with the reasons for the decisions made, should be kept for each interview conducted. This record of interviews could be important evidence in defence of any subsequent allegation of discrimination. Please note: candidates can request to see all the information held on them, including all interview notes.
Practical guide to recruitment
South West London Recruitment Hub
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Transcript
We are the
South West London Recruitment Hub
We are your dedicated recruitment partner, bringing together the expertise of recruitment teams across Croydon Health Services, Epsom & St Helier, Kingston and Richmond, and St George’s Hospitals. This joined-up approach creates a more consistent, efficient and people-centric recruitment experience across South West London. At every stage of the process, we focus on making hiring easier for you and smoother for candidates. Our team offers clear, expert guidance from advert to onboarding. Our goal is simple: to help you attract, select, and welcome the right people so you can focus on delivering great care.
How to use this toolkit:
Recruitment can feel complicated - from vacancy approvals to pre-employment checks, there’s a lot to navigate. This toolkit is designed to guide you through the process step by step, so you can fill your vacancy efficiently and effectively. Think of this as a practical set of prompts, tips, and checklists to help you run a smooth, fair, and engaging recruitment process.
Click here for more information
If you need this document in an alternative format, or require any adjustments to support your accessibility needs, please contact: katherine.bevan6@nhs.net
Table of contents
Please click on the arrows to navigate to your chosen section.
Making an offer & pre-employment checks
Inclusive recruitment in practice
Final offer, start date & induction
Vacancy approval
AI in recruitmemt
Advertising your job
Shortlisting candidates
Frequently asked questions
Get in touch
The interview process
Inclusive recruitment in practice
An inclusive recruitment process actively recognises diversity and values the wide range of qualities, experiences and perspectives that candidates bring to the organisation. It is not about recruiting individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to meet targets. Rather, it is about ensuring a fair and equitable process where all applicants have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their suitability for the role.
Understanding bias in recruitment
Recruitment Inclusion Specialist (RIS)
Practical structures that support inclusive recruitment
Diverse panel representation
Inclusive recruitment supports:
Inclusive recruitment introduces safeguards to support objective and appropriate decision making.
Step 1
How do I recruit to a vacancy?
The recruitment process:
Vacancy control
Before a role can be advertised, your vacancy needs to be approved through your Trust’s vacancy-control process.
Job advertised
Vacancy request
Shortlisting and interview
Enter the vacancy request on Trac
01
How to rasie a vacancy request on Trac
Offer made
Vacancy approval
Click here
Employments checks
Check your Trust’s vacancy-control process
02
Welcoming new starter
Your Trust vacnacy control team will be best suited to share more details about this process with you.
Step 2
Advertising your vacancy
Now that your role’s been approved, it’s time to get it in front of the right people. Before you start drafting the advert, there are a few simple steps to ensure everything’s accurate, inclusive, and ready to go live.
03
01
02
Advertising your role
Prepare the JD and PS
Write the job advert
Helpful pointers on how to write a:
Adverts must not discriminate against the 9 protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.
Job Advert
What to avoid saying in a job advert
For additional support with writing your job advert, please contact our Communications and Marketing Manager.
E: katherine.bevan6@nhs.net
Step 3
Shortlisting candidates
How to shortlist on Trac
What happens once your advert closes:
Once your advert closes, your Recruitment Advisor will move your vacancy to 'Shortlisting' on Trac. You will be notified by email to start reviewing applications, using the scoring system you set up at the start of the process.
You must complete shortlisting within three days of the advert closing.
How to score each candidate
What is the Guranteed Interview Scheme?
Longlisting vs. shortlisting
If no suitable candidate is found
Step 4
Interviewing candidates
Hiring manager responsibilities:
01
Set your interview date
02
Add the details to Trac
Interviews are your chance to meet the people behind the applications and understand what they could bring to your team. Your role is to make the process clear, fair, and welcoming so every candidate can perform their best.
03
Organise your panel
Interview assessments
04
Run the interview
Interview panels
05
Upload your notes
Interview FAQs
Guidance on setting up interviews
Click here
Step 5
Making an offer
You’re nearly at the finish line. Once interviews are complete, it’s important to wrap things up quickly and fairly, so candidates feel informed, and excited about joining your team. A structured approach here also helps us meet NHS employment standards and avoid delays.
Hiring manager responsibilities:
Let candidates know the outcome
01
Reflecting the interview outcome on Trac
02
Issue conditional offer letter
Move your successful candidate to offer
04
03
Step 6
Pre-employment checks are simply our way of making sure every new starter meets the legal standards, qualifications, and safeguarding requirements needed for their role. In the NHS, we follow six national employment check standards — these outline the checks we must complete before anyone can join our teams.
Pre-employment checks
01
02
Right to work
Identity
Professional registration and qualifications
03
04
References
05
06
Occupational health
DBS
Withdrawing an offer
References guidance
Employment standards and regulation
Step 7
Unconditional offer, start date & induction
What the SWL Recruitment Hub will do:
What you’ll need to do as the hiring manager:
Confirm the start date: Once an unconditional offer letter has been sent, you’ll need to agree a start date, and let your Recruitment Advisor know, so that we can update Trac and trigger the next steps.
We’ll take care of the essentials behind the scenes:
Plan their first day: Make sure your new colleague knows:
In line with policy:
You must check original ID documents in person on Day 1.
This confirms that the person starting is the same person interviewed and hired.
AI in recruitment
AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, and Gemini are creating new ways for people to put their best foot forward when applying for roles. As these tools become part of everyday working life, candidates are increasingly using them in applications and interviews. For hiring managers, the key is understanding what this means for recruitment and making sure our processes stay rigorous, fair, and human.
Our stance on AI in the recruitment process
We know candidates may choose to use AI tools when applying for roles, and we can’t (and shouldn’t) completely stop that. Instead, our focus is on ensuring the recruitment process remains fair, transparent, and focused on genuine skills and experience.
View our AI Toolkit for Hiring Managers
Frequently asked questions
Please see below answers to some common queries we receive from hiring managers, and what you can do to resolve them.
Click here to read our FAQs
If you have a more specific question, please reach out.
St George's Univerisity Hospitals
Click on the plus icon below, to view the appropriate contact details for your Trust.
Croydon Health Services
Recruitment Hub Senior Leadership Team
Epsom and St Helier
Kingston and Richmond
International team
Key contacts
Get in touch
If you have any thoughts, comments or feedback on this toolkit, we’d love to hear from you.
Please share your feedback at: katherine.bevan6@nhs.net
Accessibility statement:
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Contact us
Email: krft.askrecruitment@nhs.net Tel: 0208 296 4045
If you need this document in an alternative format, or require any adjustments to support your accessibility needs, please contact: katherine.bevan6@nhs.net
Version: 1.0 Date Created: 27/11/25
Set your interview date
Tip: Add the date to the advert if you can — it boosts attendance and helps candidates plan.
Interview panels guidance
Panel composition:
Diversity requirements:
If you require a RiS, please get in touch.
Panel qualifications:
Panel members must be suitably qualified to assess candidates’ skills, knowledge, and suitability. Members should have up-to-date recruitment and selection knowledge (training is available if needed).Panel members must be of a higher band than the role being interviewed, except when including the outgoing post-holder. For nursing posts, at least one panel member must be a registered nurse of a higher band.
Conditional offer letters
What we do
Once you have moved the vacancy to offer, the SWL Recruitment Hub will usually send the conditional offer letter within two working days.
What candidates need to know
Unconditional offers depend on all pre-employment checks being completed. Please advise candidates not to resign from their current role until they receive an unconditional offer.
Occupational health checks
Occupational Health checks help us understand whether a candidate is fit and safe to carry out the role they’ve been offered. These checks also help prevent work-related illness, injuries, and the spread of infection across our services.
Why this matters:
Health assessments play a key role in:
How it works
1. The candidate will be sent a link to complete a health questionaire. 2. The candidate completes it online and provides any relevant information. 3. If needed, Occupational Health may: o Invite the candidate to an assessment o Request evidence of immunisations o Discuss any adjustments or restrictions with yourself and the candidate.
Check your Trust’s vacancy-control process
Each Trust has its own approval process. Your vacancy control team can confirm what documents or sign-offs you’ll need.
Contact details:
Add the details to Trac
01
Once you move your vacancy to the Interview stage, you’ll be prompted to enter:- Interview date(s)
- Venue
- Panel members
- Any tests or assessments
- Time slots
Please note: If you are holding a virtual interview, you will need to create the virtual interview link yourself. Complete all required fields and click Confirm.The SWL Recruitment Hub will then send candidates an email inviting them to book their preferred slot.02
Professional registration and qualifications
Before any registered healthcare professional starts with us, we must check their registration with the appropriate regulatory body (such as the NMC, HCPC, or GPhC). This protects patients, colleagues, and the Trust.
Here's what the check confirms:
There are no:
The Recruitment Hub does not validate certificates.
How to write a person specification
AND NOT DISCRIMINATE - E.G. NUMBER OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
Do's and don'ts
Writing your job advert
Speak directly to the candidate (“you will…”)
Use plain English — avoid jargon and acronyms
Your job advert is your shop window — it should be clear, inviting, and candidate-focused.
Highlight benefits (e.g., development opportunities, flexible working, team culture, why work for your service)
Key elements to include:
Include interview date if possible. This improves attendance
Job title and grade
Where they will be working
Copy and paste the job description
Main responsibilities (impact of the role, not just tasks)
Use vague phrases like “dynamic environment” without context
Your USP - why should someone join your service
Contact details for informal questions
Overload with long paragraphs — keep it short and easy to read
Closing and interview dates
Try: “In this role, you’ll develop your leadership skills while overseeing a team of junior staff.”
Instead of: “In this role, you’ll manage a team.”
Think about why a candidate should choose your role over others.
Interview assessments – What managers need to know
Common assessment options
Alongside a structured interview, you may choose to include additional activities to test skills that can’t easily be assessed through questions alone.
Presentations
Why use assessments?
Assessments help you understand a candidate’s real-world ability to perform key parts of the role.
Group exercises
They should always:
Written scenarios or case studies
Important principles
Maths and english tests
Practical skills tests
Support from the Recruitment Team
Managers are welcome to design their own assessments, and the Recruitment Team is available to offer guidance and share best-practice advice.
The Guaranteed Interview Scheme
If a candidate:- Has declared a disability
- Is a member of the armed forces
- Has declared themselves as a care leaver
…and they meet all essential criteria, they must be invited to interview, regardless of their total score. Any reasonable adjustments must be made for them to attend.Your job advert is your shop window — it should be clear, inviting, and candidate-focused.
Writing your job advert
Key elements to include:
Do's and don'ts
Speak directly to the candidate (“you will…”)
Use plain English — avoid jargon and acronyms
Highlight benefits (e.g., development, flexible working, team culture)
Include interview date if possible. This improves attendance
Copy and paste the job description
Use vague phrases like “dynamic environment” without context
Overload with long paragraphs — keep it short and scannable
Job title and grade
Main responsibilities (impact of the role, not just tasks)
Team or ward profile (insight into people and culture)
Contact details for informal questions
Closing and interview dates
Think about why a candidate should choose your role over others.
Instead of: “In this role, you’ll manage a team.”
Try: “In this role, you’ll develop your leadership skills while overseeing a team of junior staff.”
Recruitment Inclusion Specialist (RIS)
A Recruitment Inclusion Specialist is a designated individual trained to provide advice and constructive challenge during recruitment processes.
For Band 7 and above interviews, the presence of a Recruitment Inclusion Specialist is required.
The role of the Recruitment Inclusion Specialist is to:
The Recruitment Inclusion Specialist is advisory and does not replace the decision making authority of the panel. Where concerns are raised, these should be documented and considered as part of the governance process.
Who to contact
Kingston and Richmond
Diverse panel representation
Where possible, interview panels should reflect a range of backgrounds, genders, experiences and perspectives. Diverse representation can support more balanced discussion and reduce the risk of groupthink.
All panel members remain accountable for fair and consistent assessment.
Prepare the job description and person specification
Job description: Review to ensure it is up to date, relevant, and job-matched according to the role’s terms and conditions.
Person specification: Clearly separate essential and desirable criteria to make shortlisting fair and consistent.
A clear, up-to-date job description and person specification set expectations for candidates and make shortlisting smoother.
Who to contact
St George's Hospital
Prepare the job description and person specification
Job description: Review to ensure it is up to date, relevant, and job-matched.
Person specification: Clearly separate essential and desirable criteria to make shortlisting fair and consistent.
A clear, up-to-date job description and person specification sets expectations for candidates, and makes shortlisting smoother.
Who to contact
Croydon Health Services
How to write a job advert
You may see candidates sitting in two areas:
Where you score and make decisions.
Shortlisting
VS
Longlisting
Candidates automatically land here while the advert is live.
Understanding bias in recruitment
Bias is a natural cognitive shortcut. In recruitment, unexamined bias can influence how we interpret information, assess capability, and make decisions. Everyone holds assumptions shaped by personal experience, culture and social context. In recruitment settings, unconscious bias can lead to inconsistent or unfair outcomes if not recognised and managed.
Bias may show up as:
The aim of inclusive recruitment is not to eliminate bias, but to recognise its potential impact and put structures in place to reduce its influence on decision making.
Moveing your successful candidate to offer
Before clicking “Confirm” in Trac, double-check:
- Contract type
- Weekly hours
- Salary and banding
- Interview paperwork attached
- Any part-time / flexible working discussions
- Use Trac notes to advise the recruitment team of any additional information.
If your offer is above the authorised WTE, you will be required to seek approval via your vacancy control process. Once everything looks right, move the vacancy to Offer — this triggers the Recruitment Hub to send the conditional offer letter.Right to Work
Checking that someone is legally allowed to work in the UK
A Right to Work (RTW) check confirms whether a candidate has the legal permission to work in the UK. It’s a legal requirement, and no one can start in post until this check is fully complete.
How the check is done:
Share codes (for non-British / non-Irish citizens)
If a candidate isn’t a British or Irish citizen, they must generate a share code from the Home Office website.
If a candidate doesn’t currently have the right to work:
Score each candidate
In Trac, click on 'Online shortlisting' and score each candidate using the criteria points you set up earlier.
You’ll need to agree a cut-off score. The candidates with the highest overall scores, can then be invited to interview.
Upload your interview notes
After the interviews:- Upload all candidate interview notes to Trac
- Record scores and outcomes clearly
- Make sure decisions are evidence-based and linked to your scoring framework
This keeps the process transparent, protects you and your candidates, and ensures we can move quickly to the offer stage.
Please note: A contract can only be issued once interview notes have been completed and uploaded to Trac.
Your job advert is your shop window — it should be clear, inviting, and candidate-focused.
Step 3
Writing your job advert
Key elements to include:
Do's and don'ts
Speak directly to the candidate (“you will…”)
Use plain English — avoid jargon and acronyms
Highlight benefits (e.g., development, flexible working, team culture)
Include interview date if possible. This improves attendance
Copy and paste the job description
Use vague phrases like “dynamic environment” without context
Overload with long paragraphs — keep it short and scannable
Job title and grade
Main responsibilities (impact of the role, not just tasks)
Team or ward profile (insight into people and culture)
Contact details for informal questions
Closing and interview dates
Think about why a candidate should choose your role over others.
Instead of: “In this role, you’ll manage a team.”
Try: “In this role, you’ll develop your leadership skills while overseeing a team of junior staff.”
What to include in a job Advert to promote inclusion
What not to include in a job advert
Skills‑based requirements
Age related language
Avoid anything that implies a preferred age or life stage. Examples to avoid: “young and energetic,” “recent graduate,” “mature person,” “digital native.”
Describe the skills, knowledge, and behaviours needed — not assumptions about background. Examples: “Able to manage multiple priorities,” “Experience using CRM systems,” “Strong written communication.”
VS
Overly narrow experience requirements:
Use capability‑focused criteria rather than time‑based requirements
Avoid criteria that indirectly exclude groups without a valid business reason. Examples to avoid: “must have UK experience,” “must have 10+ years’ experience”.
For example: “Demonstrated ability to deliver X effectively (often developed over several years or through equivalent experience).”
Personality stereotypes:
Use plain, accessible wording
so that the advert is easy to understand for people from different backgrounds and reading levels. Avoid jargon, acronyms, and overly corporate language.
Avoid traits that imply a preference for a certain demographic. Examples to avoid: “youthful energy,” “digital native,” “fit and active,” “recent graduate.”
Criminal record (DBS) checks
A DBS check provides information about a person’s criminal record history.
What you need to know:
Please note: Your Recruitment Advisor may contact you to dicuss the necessary level of DBS check.
If there are no candidates that meet the essential critera for the role...
Contact the SWL Recruitment Hub and we’ll explore next steps together, such as:- Re-advertising
- Amending the job description
- Bespoke or targeted recruitment support
If a vacancy has been re-advertised more than twice, it is considered hard-to-fill.
Please contact Katherine, our Communications and Marketing Manager to discuss how we can support you in successfully filling the role.
E: katherine.bevan6@nhs.net
Informing candidates of the interview outcome
Be clear about the timeline
Let all candidates know when to expect a decision - especially if you expect there to be any sort of delay.
Make the calls
Contact both successful and unsuccessful candidates by telephone to advise them of the outcome and offer to provide any constructive feedback.
Update Trac
Please update Trac with interview outcomes immediatley. This allows us to move quickly with offers and candidate communication.
Who to contact
International recruitment team
Identity checks
Verifying ID is the most important of all the employment checks.
The identity check starts as soon as a conditional offer is made.
- If digital verification isn’t possible, we’ll complete the check face-to-face instead.
Candidates will need to provide:- Proofs of address
Please note: DBS checks (if required) can only begin once identity is fully verified.References
Please note: It is standard HR practice to provide factual references, which may only confirm employment dates.
Run the interview
During the interview:- Welcome each candidate warmly — interviews can be nerve-wracking.
- Take clear, detailed notes throughout.
- Score each candidate consistently using the same scoring system for every question.
- Stick closely to your questions to make sure everyone has an equal opportunity to shine.
Practical structures that support inclusive recruitment
Inclusive recruitment is supported by clear processes and accountability. Structure protects fairness.
This includes:
Panels should avoid informal decision making or reliance on subjective impressions. Decisions must be based on demonstrable evidence against the person specification.
Creating a vacancy
To begin, you must enter the vacancy request on Trac, with the recruitment team assisting where necessary. The minimal information below needs to be entered to request authorisation:
You'll find guidance on:
You'll find guidance on:
Vacancy approvals → how to get your vacancy ready for advertising
Advertising a job → writing effective adverts that attract the right candidates
Shortlisting → reviewing applications fairly and efficiently
Interviews → running structured, consistent interviews
Making an offer → communicating with candidates and updating the Trac system
Employment checks → NHS pre-employment standards
Start date & induction → ensuring your new starter is onboarded successfully
AI in recruitment → What to do if you suspect a candidate has used AI
Organise your panel
A well appointed panel promotes fairness- You’ll need at least two interviewers to reduce bias and ensure consistency.
- Include assessments or practical tasks if they help you measure the skills that matter most.
- Prepare your interview questions and scoring criteria in advance, using model answers. These act as a baseline measure for what 'good' looks like.
Who to contact
Epsom and St Helier
Reflecting the interview outcome on Trac
Ensure you reflect the outcome of the interview on Trac.
The KPI for managers to upload the interview outcome to Trac is two days.
After completing the above, 'Move the vacancy to offer.'
For futher guidance, click here
Advertising your role
Once your role is approved, it’s time to share it with potential candidates.
Advertising checklist:
Before your advert goes live, make sure:
Job title, band, location, team, and contact details are included Plan ahead for your vacancy closing and ensure you’re available to complete shortlisting immediately after the two‑week advertising period ends Language is clear, engaging, and candidate‑focused The opening line captures attention Interview date is listed (if available) The advert and job spedification are free from any potential bias
Hard‑to‑fill vacancies
If a role does not attract sufficient candidates after being advertised twice, it will be classed as hard‑to‑fill. Please inform us, as we can advise on targeted strategies and arrange bespoke advertising to reach the right audience.
Withdrawing an Offer
An offer of employment can be withdrawn at any stage of the pre-employment checks if there is a valid concern.
Common reasons include:
Process: The recruiting manager must call the applicant to explain the withdrawal. The recruitment team will then issue a written withdrawal letter confirming the reason.
Interview FAQs
View more FAQs
Who can move the vacancy to interview on Trac?
What is an interview pack and where can I locate this?
What do I need to consider when interviewing candidates with a disability/ or require adjustments?
A comprehensive record, with the reasons for the decisions made, should be kept for each interview conducted. This record of interviews could be important evidence in defence of any subsequent allegation of discrimination. Please note: candidates can request to see all the information held on them, including all interview notes.